About Iowans for Safe Access

Iowans for Safe Access is an alliance of patients and caregivers who advocate together in order to change minds, hearts, and laws.

ISA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created to help educate the public on the benefits of cannabis for medicinal purposes. We want to bring Iowa's most medically complex patients together to advocate and educate for safe, legal access to medical cannabis in Iowa.

Did you know?

In May of 2017, Iowa passed a limited THC Medical Cannabis law that allows certain in-state patients with qualifying conditions*, to use, possess and access low-THC cannabis (up to 3%) with their doctor’s recommendation? This law protects patients from conviction/prosecution and provides for in-state access to medical cannabis by December 2018.

48 States acknowledge the medical benefits of cannabis in some form and provide some level of access to it.

29 states have “effective” medical cannabis laws – effective is defined as “providing patients reasonable access to cannabis in varying forms, strains and levels in order to experience relief from their medical condition and improved quality of life, without legal repercussions.”​

Cannabis vs. Opioids: (SAFER, MORE EFFECTIVE, LESS DESTRUCTIVE)

500,000 people died of prescription drug overdoses between 2000 to 2015.

0 people have died from a cannabis overdose in all of recorded history.

States that have adopted patient access to a medical cannabis program have seen a 25% average decrease in opioid overdose deaths, IN THE FIRST YEAR

A 2016 study revealed, 78% of patients who have access to medical cannabis reduce or stop opioid use altogether.

1% of a state’s population, on average, enrolls in medical cannabis programs. 38% of the U.S. population took prescription opioids in 2015.

PTSD:

28 of the 29 states with effective medical cannabis laws, include PTSD as a qualifying condition.

75% reduction in symptom scores reported by PTSD patients with use of medical cannabis

The American Legion states that "the opioid crisis in America is having a disproportionate impact on our veterans, according to a 2011 study of the VA system, as they contend with the facts that poorly-treated chronic pain increases suicide risk, and veterans are twice as likely to succumb to accidental opioid overdoses."

An independent public research company who conducted a nationwide survey about the opinions of veterans, their family members and their caregivers on the issue of medical cannabis. Below you can find some highlights from their survey:

92 percent of all veterans support research into medical cannabis.

83 percent of all veteran households support legalizing medical cannabis.

Support for medical cannabis research is consistent nationwide, across ages, gender, political affiliation and geography.

60 percent of respondents do not live in states where medical cannabis is currently legal.